Court Restrains NBA President, Electoral Committee from 2026 Election Activities

An Oyo state high court sitting in Ibadan has restrained members of the electoral committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) from performing any function relating to the association’s 2026 national officers’ election.

The court also barred Afam Osigwe, the NBA president, from taking steps toward constituting the electoral committee or interfering in the conduct of the election pending further proceedings.

In an ex parte order delivered on March 4, G. A. Opayinka, the presiding judge, granted the application filed by four lawyers challenging the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The applicants are Ibrahim Lawal, Raymond Oki, Omotan Olusola Ogunmodede, and Gabriel Ojo Adekunle Ijalana.

According to the enrolled order, the court restrained the fifth to ninth defendants from “parading or holding themselves out as the chairman, secretary or members of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) or from performing, undertaking, or participating in any act, step or process whatsoever in furtherance of the conduct of the 2026 National Officers’ Election of the Nigerian Bar Association.”

The court also issued another order against the NBA president.

The ruling stated that the second defendant is restrained “from taking any steps whatsoever towards the constitution and composition of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association or from participating in, supervising, influencing, or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever with the conduct of the said 2026 NBA National Officers’ Election.”

The orders will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

The judge adjourned the case to March 12 for the hearing of the motion.

The suit, marked I/221/2026, lists the incorporated trustees of the NBA, Osigwe, the body of benchers, and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) as defendants.

Ahamefule J. Elam, chairman of the ECNBA, and several members of the electoral committee are also joined in the suit.

Earlier, another interim order issued by the Oyo state high court on February 24 had restrained the NBA from recognising or processing the nomination of any presidential candidate for the 2026 election other than the consensus candidate of Egbe Amofin O’odua.

That order, issued in suit I/205/2026 filed by the incorporated trustees of Egbe Amofin O’odua, “effectively” halted the presidential nomination process pending the hearing of an interlocutory application.

With the latest order restraining members of the electoral committee and the NBA president from taking steps relating to the election, the conduct and timeline of the association’s 2026 national officers’ poll now face uncertainty.